You will have read about the current wave of persecutions against Christians in India, particularly in Orissa state, which includes murder, rape and the destruction of church artefacts. This is looked upon by Christians in India as a deliberately orchestrated campaign by those political parties in India who wish to build a theocratic Hindu (ie pagan) state. A petition has been effective in bringing the persecution of Christians in Egypt to the attention of many. Does anyone know of a similar petition regarding India?

It is interesting you bring this up. I was just discussing this with a Indian nationalist on facebook and he had this to say, it provides some useful information. I don't know the truth of the matter but I thought I would paste this in here when I saw this post.

"The Kandhamal violence is essentially a localised one, as many such incidents in the country have been. It is the local factors that play a predominant role. Animosities were brewing no doubt. But again the reasons were immediate. There has been a feud between the Kondh tribals and largely Christian Pana Scheduled Caste people. The Panas, under the leadership of the local Congress Rajya Sabha member Radhakanta Naik, who is said to be a convert, have been demanding inclusion of their caste in the Scheduled Tribe category as they too speak the same Kui language that the ST Kondhs speak.

What made things worse in Kandhamal was the open collaboration between the Christian groups and Naxals (Armed Maoists). Among those arrested in connection with the burning down of villages inhabited by Hindus (Brahmanigaon, Jhinjiriguda, Katingia, and Godapur) were 47 Maoists. Some 20 guns have been recovered by the security forces from them.
The trouble in Kandhamal started on December 23, when the Maoists created tensions in that area.As the news of clashes reached Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, a selfless VHP leader, working for the socio-economic development of the local people for over four decades -- he set out for Brahmanigoan on December 24. His car was attacked by Maoists in which the leader himself and two of his followers sustained serious injuries.

In Kandhamal, there is another factor which led to the clashes--the political factor. The area is tribal and remote. The Armed Communists and Maoists were working there among the tribals since 1960's. Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindu Organisations came to that area later. The Christian converts were associated with the Maoists. The 80% Kandhas of that area were associated with VHP. As the Maoists are fighting for the tribals and is banned in India, they murder anybody who is an outsider.
On September 1, 2008 Government of Orissa claimed the situation was under control. However, 558 houses and 17 churches and prayer halls were burnt in riots. 543 houses were burnt in the worst hit Kandhamal district. 12,539 people were fed in 10 relief camps, 783 people got the facilities in two relief camps in Rayagada district. In all, 12 companies of para-military forces, 24 platoons of Orissa State Armed Police, two sections of Armed Police Reserve forces and two teams of Special Operation Group (SOG) were deployed to control the riots.On September 7, 2008 VHP leader Praveen Togadia announced that an All-India agitation would be launched if the killers of Lakshmananda were not arrested.

The ruling government of Orissa, headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was a coalition of the BJP and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). In the 147-member state assembly the BJD-BJP combine has 93 members, 32 of whom are from the BJP.

Some BJP legislators blamed the government for not providing adequate protection to Saraswati, despite other attempts on his life. They called for withdrawing support from the government, which would lead to its collapse."

Name: Louis

Occupation: Student studying History and Politics at Newcastle University.

Church: A member of Saint Felix's British Orthodox community in Norfolk.